Reviews

“Irresistible Bach… Cripsly executed ornaments, thoughtful tempos, a commendably restrained use of the sustaining pedal and a lightness of articulation stregthten the considerable communicative allure of this artist.

J.S.Bach: Works for keyboard, BBC Music Magazine 2005

PERFORMANCE *****
SOUND *****

“Bravos für kraftvolle Interpretationen von Friedrich Cerhas 5 Sätzen für Klaviertrio, Erich W. Korngolds opulenter „Suite, op. 23“ und Weberns 4 Stücken für Geige und Klavier.”

Salzburger Nachrichten  11.05.2012

“For his performance, Miki Skuta chose Shostakovich’s great homage to Bach, his Preludes and Fugues, from which he played the first and the last one (C major, D minor) and further three with different characters (A minor, F minor and E flat major).
With this musical microcosm Skuta managed to prove that he is a major and all-around pianist.
The rigour and tranquillity of the magnificent C major work, shining virtuosity, magical shimmering lights and playful sensuousness of the fugue in the A minor pair, soft sound a graceful touch juxtaposed with large-scale build-up of tension in the F minor pair, the solemn chorale in E flat major, and finally, pristine splendour of the D minor prelude and fugue – only the greatest can convey all this.
Furthermore, Skuta rewarded the audience with a little jazz improvisation as an appetizer for the night concert. All things considered, an exciting artist emerges. ”

János Malina, Festival Arcus Temporum, Ungarn, 2010

“…das Miklós Skuta im Auftrag des Musikums als “Reminiszenz an Mozart” komponiert hatte, zitierte nicht Mozart, sondern blieb nur in der Besetzung mozartisch. Ansonsten sprühte das glänzend instrumentierte Werk – eine Maßarbeit auch für Benjamin Schmid – jazziges Temperament und ein denkwürdiges Gemisch aus slawischer Seele und französischem Charme.”

Salzburger Nachrichten, 26.06.2006

“Diese slowakisch-österreichische Produktion enthält eine Reihe hervorragenden Zutaten, darunter Spielfreude, Abwechslung, Witz, Geschmack. Skuta setzt die vielfachen Klangmöglichkeiten des Oktetts gekonnt in seinen intelligenten Kompositionen und vielschichtigen Arrangements ein… Öfteres Hören ist empfohlen, es fördert jedes Mal neue Tiefenschichten zu Tage!”

CD „IDENTITY“ „Jazz-Zeit“ – Austria, 2003

“A brillant virtuoso like Miklós Skuta is only born once in a decade, and most probably Slovakia did not give birth to such a pianist befor. He excelled in the pieces by Scarlatti, Liszt, Rachmaninov end in three movements of Suchon’s Metamorphoses, through which his unique and brillant technique, the masculine power of interpretation, his owerhelming beat as well as the amazing density of sound and the joy of play were displayed.”

Praca, Bratislava, 20.8.1983

“In Bach’s Concerto in E Major, BWV 1053 Skuta was very convincing; together with the orchestra he put up a brilliant duel, in which he asserted his vision of the music, of the 18th-century Baroque style, of Bach, as he can be rendered and interpreted by a musician of the late 20th century.”

Hudobný Zivot, XXVI, Bratislava, 25 May 1994

In Mozart’s Piano Quartet in E flat Major, KV 493 (with the Moyzes Quartet)… Skuta displayed a true sense of chamber music making, of the brilliance and elegance of Mozart’s music, he succeeded in marrying the fantastic with the rigorous, rational control with amazing musicianship, what’s more, he managed to attain the perfect balance in fine changes of tempo…”

Hudobný Zivot, XXX, Bratislava, 23 September 1998

“Only two days after, I feel guilty for not being able to express the greatness of the performance… (Bach: Toccatas) I was excited, not only because of his work with detail, his sharp handling of texture, but also because Skuta managed to find the perfect balance, whether it was the choice of tempi, his convincing breathing, the dynamic architecture, mastery of polyphony, or emotional involvement. What is important, he managed to join all this into a convincing performance. … We heard a magnificent Bach, brought to us by an artist at the top of his vast capabilities.”

Hudobný Zivot, XXXII, No. 4, Bratislava, 1998